Global and International Studies Building, 1022
Elisheva (Elly) Cohen holds a PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota, an MA from Columbia University Teachers College in International Educational Development, and a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She has extensive experience living and working in global settings, including studying abroad in Egypt and Israel, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, and conducting her dissertation field research in Jordan. She has worked for a range of international development agencies including UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, CARE International, and the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies.
In her current role, Elly seeks to cultivate experiential and international education programs that enhance global competencies, facilitate cross-cultural understanding, and build professional skills for HLS students. She designs and leads curricular and co-curricular programming for undergraduate and graduate students within HLS including the Global Development Consulting program, Careers in International Development program in Mexico, the Tobias Center Scholars Program, and more. She also manages HLS exchange programs.
Elly’s research agenda includes two primary pillars. First, she focuses on educational experiences in times of conflict and crisis, with a particular interest in developing contexts. She has conducted research on non-formal education for Syrian refugees in Jordan, teaching practices of American teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the wellbeing of higher education instructors in Myanmar. Second, she explores the impact of educational experiences of American university students studying international development.